Which of the following is an example of punishment?
A) The organization takes away some of your pay cheque to cover the cost of a machine that you carelessly broke.
B) Your boss doesn't say anything after you have the highest sales of the month.
C) Your boss stops complaining about your late arrival at work after you arrive early for several weeks.
D) After signing a contract with an important client, the company announces its appreciation of your work.
E) Both 'A' and 'C' are examples of punishment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Punishment involves a consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior happening again. Taking away some of an employee's pay as a consequence of their careless behavior fits this definition.

Option B is an example of positive reinforcement, where the behavior (highest sales) is followed by a positive consequence (no complaint from boss), which increases the likelihood of the behavior happening again.

Option C is an example of negative reinforcement, where the behavior (arriving early) is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus (boss stops complaining about late arrival), which increases the likelihood of the behavior happening again.

Option D is an example of positive reinforcement, where the behavior (signing a contract with an important client) is followed by a positive consequence (company announces appreciation), which increases the likelihood of the behavior happening again.

Option E is incorrect because option C is an example of negative reinforcement, not punishment.

Which of the Following Is an Example of Punishment